A Letter to Tony Stark
by Gre3nleaf
Summary: From Peter Parker.


**A Letter to Tony Stark, from Peter Parker**

Dear Dad,

I'm not really sure what to write, but I guess I'll start by saying it's been four months since you left, and I haven't gone a day without thinking about you. That probably sounds really cheesy, I know, but what can I say? It's the truth.

May got me a therapist. She's really nice. Her name's Jo, and she helps me with things… mainly things concerning you. And that's not your fault! Of course it isn't… but, I've been having trouble since you left, and Jo helps. She just helps. She's great.

I saw her today at 10:30am, and I told her some things… like, I keep waking up from this reoccurring nightmare, which is basically watching you… you know… over and over again. It's horrible. Jo told me it's all part of my grieving process, though, so I guess it's normal, huh? Doesn't make it any easier to bear.

Anyway, she told me of a way I could help myself get through this, and it's what I'm doing now. Writing a letter to you. She thinks that maybe I'm taking it harder than most because there's a lot I wish I'd had the chance to say to you, and so writing this letter gives me the opportunity to do exactly that. I think it's a good idea. So do May and Happy. They both miss you, too, by the way. A hell of a lot.

And Morgan! I met her a little while ago, and she is the best person alive, I swear. She calls me Uncle Pete, too. Like, how awesome is that? I have a niece! And she's the cutest niece I could have ever asked for.

She keeps asking about you. But it's not like those typical "when's Daddy coming home?" questions… it's more like "when are me and Daddy gonna finish the Mini Man suit?" She says Mini Man is mini Iron Man. Maybe, one day, I'll have a go at helping her complete it. I'll never do as good a job as you did on the suits, but I can try. I know everyone thinks Morgan understands what happened, but she's barely five… I don't know. Something tells me she doesn't properly get the idea of what's going on. She's still wondering where you are.

You know, I always felt lucky that I never got to experience my own dad's death. I was so young and I guess I just don't remember anything of what happened. But… I'm older, now (apparently older than even I thought, as well. Like, seriously, do I look like a 23-year-old?) and watching you…

I guess I can't feel lucky anymore, because I did end up experiencing my dad's death. It happened right in front of my eyes. I know you saw it happen to me, too, but I also know that this time there's no chance of you coming back. I've asked. Doctor Stephen Strange says there was no other way. I don't really understand what that means, but he said you would. And then he hugged me. Captain America did that at your funeral, too, and so did Hawkeye and the Falcon and War Machine… why do people keep hugging me?

Harley Keener was at your funeral, too… he said he met you a little while back. He's cool. He has a bunch of awesome tech that he told me you gave to him, and I invited him back to mine and we talked about engineering and science for hours… it was pretty awesome! He's coming back next week, actually. We're going to eat pizza and watch Star Wars and then probably somehow get back on the topic of tech… I know you wouldn't be surprised. He's almost like a mini you.

I suppose I should say that I'm crying, now, while I'm writing this. There's a tear stain on 'Hawkeye'. I remember the first time you saw me crying… when I was tired from overworking on my revision for the final exams, and you noticed and talked to me about it. That was one of the many times I felt grateful for you.

I'm not sure how long this letter is supposed to be, but it's getting pretty late, and I know you never let me stay up later than 10 pm on a school night, so I should finish this up, soon. I think I might write more of these. They seem to be helping… even though I'm crying, Jo said that's sometimes a good sign. She said it's alright to cry. You told me that before, too, so I guess if two great people say it, it must be true, right?

I can't tell if it's getting easier or harder… to deal with what happened. You'd be immensely happy to know that people have built so many memorials around the entire globe. I see them everywhere, and they're all pretty great. It just goes to show how much everyone appreciates what you did for us all. We're only alive because of you. Even dead, you're the hero. You were always a hero.

Dad. I remember you telling me it was alright to call you that. That was ages ago. I still don't think I called you it enough times, though… not enough to really make sure you understood how much I loved you. I don't think I said that enough times, either. I loved you. I love you. I still do. I'm so lucky to have had even a small part in your life. I'm so grateful for the times we had together… all the homework you helped me with, all the nights I had to sleep over at the Compound because it was too late for me to go home, all the laughs we had while playing pranks on Happy, all the pizzas we stuffed ourselves with and got sick over, all the injuries you had to patch up for me… and I'm going to be cheesy again and say all the hugs we had… I hadn't had many before I met you. Sure, there was May, but I'd always wanted to feel some kind of love from a father figure, you know? I hope you don't mind being that person.

Well, May's just come in and told me I should probably head off to bed. I think this helped… I think… yes. I got some things off my chest. I'll probably write more when I think of more to say. I'll tell Jo it worked, too, and let her know I'm grateful for the idea. It actually feels nice… it's almost like I'm really speaking to you, though I know I'm not getting a letter back.

Oh… Happy told me the other day that you believed I'd be the greatest hero alive when I get older. I don't know. Maybe. I'm trying to live up to what you expected of me. I want to make you proud.

All I know, is that if one day I become even half the man you were, I'll be just fine.

G'night, Dad. Sleep tight. Don't let the radioactive bugs bite. Love you.

Pete x


End file.
